Saturday, December 31, 2011

TOMBSTONE TERRITORY

How nice to hear the sunrise tweeting of our little feathered bird friends right outside the rig’s window every morning. Mother Nature’s relaxing and soothing way of starting another fine day.
Managed to get ourselves a couple trips in today. The Elfrida dump was open till noon so we hauled a couple barrels of garbage over with Jeanie & Ray’s pick up truck. The day was still early so figured it was a good day to make a run to Sierra Vista.
Made a trip to Big Bend in Texas back in late December of 04. Since 06 we have been spending our winters in New Mexico, Arizona and California. In all that time Kelly has never had a Cowboy hat. Well, today was the day. I was in need of a new hat myself so we headed for Spur Western Wear in Sierra Vista. Never knew there was so much to learn about hats. Spent nearly half an hour trying them on but in the end they just didn’t have the size I needed and Kelly didn’t find the kind she wanted. Lady said their Tombstone store had my size.
Kelly had a little browsing to do in Marshall’s so I fell asleep in the Jeep out in the parking lot. I kinda like when that happens.
Hadn’t had any breakfast so headed ourselves into an eating place near Pet Smart called, ‘My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. I’m always leery of these kinds of places. Lotta big strange words on the menu so I stuck with a good old tried and true hamburger. Kelly got a small pizza. Kelly likes those kinds of foods but I’m always suspicious of any eating place that doesn’t have gravy on the menu. Lotta noise coming out of the overhead speakers but Kelly said that was Greek music. Whatever!! I think next time we’ll head back to the Texas Road House. Lots of good old mashed potatoes and gravy for AL over there…..10-4.
Rolled out of Sierra Vista for Tombstone somewhere around 2 in search of the Spur Western Ware store. First time Kelly & I rolled into Tombstone was nearly 5 years to the day in late December 06. Been there a couple more times since then over the past few years but we were really surprised at the change we saw in Tombstone today. Maybe because it was a Saturday during the holiday season. Lots of people on the main street. Lots of cowboys, horses, stagecoaches, and people dressed up in the old west style. They had a real active main street going on.
Made our way to SPUR WESTERN WEAR where a fella by the name of Dave was patient with us trying on hats. Knew the kind I was looking for but hats for me are never easy to find. I got a big head!! No, nothing to do with Ego. I just got a big head. Not much in it but it’s still big. Kinda like an empty air plane hanger. Fortunately, after half a dozen tries we finally found a 7.5 hat that fit my balloon head. Gracias. My hat style is called a ‘Tombstone.’ And, how cool is that to buy a Tombstone hat right in the dusty little historic town of Tombstone Arizona itself.KELLY TRIES ON COWBOY HATS AT SPUR WESTERN WARE
Kelly wasn’t so lucky. She just couldn’t find a comfortable fit or style she liked. Dave was good enough to direct us two doors down the boardwalk to RUSSELL'S ROADRUNNER. Even a bigger selection of Cowboy hats in this store. Kelly found a hat before I even made it inside. I was outside running around cracking off pictures of all the interesting looking characters walking around.
I failed to get the store proprietors name but everyone in Tombstone looks like they are related to the Earps or McLaurys. A personable fellow with longer white hair, a sense of humor, a knowledge of hats and a western looking vest type jacket to go with it all. Gotta love the attitude of the town folks and shop keepers for keeping Tombstone….Tombstone.RUSSELL’S ROADRUNNER STORE…LOTS OF HATS HERE
Back out on the street we heard some hollerin and yellin coming from up the street. Seems the Earp Brothers were mixin it up with some of the Clanton boys. The street quickly cleared as the arguing, pushing, and shoving continued down the street toward the OK Corral. Doc Holliday was looking as wasted as Wyatt was looking dapper. The McLaurys and Clanton boys made it down to the OK corral at the bottom end of Allen Street. With the Earp Brothers and Doc in hot pursuit the arguing continued.
We knew there was going to be some serious gunfire soon because them boys sure was mad at each other. Figured it would be a good time to high tail it out of town before we ended up with bullet holes in our new hats. We did manage to snag an ice cream cone in our haste though. Kudos to you Tombstone for keeping your little town and it’s legends alive:)) And, would you believe I never thought to take any pics of our new Cowboy hats today. Stay tuned……….
Arrived back at the Ranch just in time to get the chickens milked and the dogs fed. Our sunny day temps could not have been better and how nice to slip out at night now for a look at the stars.

Before I get to the last paragraph let me just wish everyone all the best for the new year. A big thank you to all readers, friends, commenters, and folks sending emails for hanging in with me for yet another year. We’ve had a few ups and downs along the way folks but maybe we can smooth out some of those downs in the New Year………..10-4:)) The Last Paragraph: A year’s review in one paragraph, hmmmm. The disappointment in not being able to swing a deal on the Lazy W Ranch. Our days at Joshua State Park and Lone Pine California, Nevada’s Valley of Fire and Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly. The terrible loss of Max and Checkers in April and the longest boring and most depressing summer I’ve ever had. Finding Pheebe was a high point in August and getting back on the road again in mid November brought me out of my slump. Ending the year with some medical issues casts a shadow into 2012. Summing up…..Worst of the year was losing Max and Checkers:(( Best of the years was finding and bringing home the Pheebs:)) And, there it was…….2011.AN AFTER DARK LOOK BACK UP THROUGH OUR WINDSHIELD
GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man walks into a bar and orders a shot then looks into his pocket. he does this over and over again. finally the bartender asks why he orders a shot and after drinking it he looks into his pocket.
The man responded "I have a picture of my wife in there and when she starts to look good…… I'll go home." (By the way, women have been known to carry photos of their husbands in their purses for the same reason.)
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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right now...AL.

From the looks of Boot Hill cemetery, the Earps and Doc Holliday didn't take much crapp outa the McLauries and the Clantons back in the day either. I had fun in Tombstone a couple of years ago, but I'm certain that I wouldn't have liked it one bit back in the 1880s.

Great pictures of Tombstone, it's on the list of future Weeb Ranch stops,You guys have a terrific New Year and yes I agree, Pheebs should be and is the highlight of your year, A new best pal, what else could a man ask for.Be safe out there, my friend, Sam & Donna...

Don't ya just love a look back at the "Old West" through a gunfight?? I still love a good Western..Hey, I found a great Cowboy cookbook you might like ...mostly because of all the photos of real cowboys. The recipes are pretty good, too! I'll email Kelly with the name...Best wishes for the New Year and you health issues being resolved!!

That is such a cool place. Love those old stagecoaches. Photos are great! Am very happy you 2 got some new cowboy hats now ya look the part. Kelly looks fab in hers. It seems like many people felt 2011was a tough year for them so you are not alone. Stay positive, listen to your heart and have faith.

Always love your photos of Tombstone, Al. Those were especially interesting this time. Sure did enjoy it there when we were there a few years back. Have a wonderful 2012, and take care of yourself. Tell Kelly we're glad she finally found a hat she liked.

AL'S CAMERA EQUIPMENT

A frequently asked question readers have about my blog is what kind of a camera do I use.

-My Nikon D-90 is the work horse and sports a Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens. I use this camera for most of my landscapes.

-My older faithful and favorite Nikon D-40 finally packed it in during the summer of 2016 and my newer Nikon D-3100 now carries my Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4.5-6.6 lens. I use this camera & lens for most of my candid people photos, birds, animals, bugs & flower close-ups.

- Previous to my Nikon D-90, most of my photos were taken with my old faithful Nikon D-50 from 2006 to early 2011 whereupon the D-50 suffered a rather gruesome death when it fell off a table onto a cement porch in southeastern Arizona. The 70-300mm lens on the camera survived the fall but the D-50 did not. My Nikkor lenses are interchangable between the D-90 & the D-3100.

-My Canon Powershot SX210iS is a point & shoot camera which I carry in a case on my belt everywhere I go.-My older Canon Powershot A720iS is the camera that sits close to my recliner for most of those doggy living room photos.